What do potions taste like?

Originally Posted by RealWittyAlias

Endure Elements: Feels and tastes like hot chocolate and cool watermelon/cherry lemonade mint tea at the same time. I have absolutely no idea how I would make this in real life; it'll have to stay in the realm of magic for now.

Why not mint and chilli powder for endure elements? One to make your mouth feel super cold...and the other to make it burn. Maybe along with a cool cup of water to wash it down for the full mint freeze and to wash the chilli around your mouth.

Also echinacea makes your tongue tingle really really weirdly. It may be something to use to give some of those recipes a bit of mystery.

Why not mint and chilli powder for endure elements? One to make your mouth feel super cold...and the other to make it burn. Maybe along with a cool cup of water to wash it down for the full mint freeze and to wash the chilli around your mouth.

Also echinacea makes your tongue tingle really really weirdly. It may be something to use to give some of those recipes a bit of mystery.

Resist Energy: Tastes like whatever energy type you're trying to resist. Acid is super acidic, cold is like swallowing ice, energy is like getting a static shock in your mouth, etc. If I was making "real" versions of them for a live game or party or whatever I'd use:

Acid: a shot glass of straight lemon juice.Cold: a minty drink that's been in the freezer as long as it can without actually freezing into a solid.Electricity: a really fizzy cocktail with pop rocks on the rim.Fire: a shot of hot sauce.Sonic: ...no idea. I will have to think about that one.

I'd guess potions would taste awful; when's the last time you had good tasting liquid medicine? It's like how manmade chemicals have a distinct smell/taste, I think magically brewed things would have a similarly unique flavor.

In a distant galaxy far far away, perhaps there is a world where cheap potions are really bitter and vile to taste so you have to make a check to actually gulp it down and get the benefit. (Make a DC 10+(level of potion) CON check to do it successfully or not throw up). However, some of the best merchants carry stock of magically flavored potions that either lower the DCs or remove the check entirely. They are priced higher and are harder to find (quest reward worthy). There are also potion connoisseurs that certify flavored potions and the best-flavored ones are collector's items that can cost anywhere from a few times the normal price to exorbitant limited edition prices.

Character hook based on this mechanic: Your mother/father/sibling were in dire need of a potion of anti-poison or something to save their life and you tried all the places but there were none available when you remembered that a noble had one in his collection of exquisitely flavored potions. You broke in to the estate and tried to steal it, but the noble resisted and tried to take it from you. In a struggle that ensued, you accidentally killed the man.

Good character sub-hook: You saved your relative and are now on a path of redemption, trying to do good things to counter your evil act.

Evil sub-hook: You were unable to save the relative and that turned you against this society that would value money over someone's life. Further, the noble didn't really stay dead and is now after you. Little does he know, you are coming for him first.

Endure Elements: Feels and tastes like hot chocolate and cool watermelon/cherry lemonade mint tea at the same time. I have absolutely no idea how I would make this in real life; it'll have to stay in the realm of magic for now.

I'd nearly forgotten about this thread, but when I reread it earlier this evening I suddenly realized how to make my Endure Elements idea a reality... sort of, anyways.

I made hot chocolate in one mug and the iced mint tea in another. Then I put a straw in each drink and drank from them both at once, allowing me to drink a cold and a hot drink at the same time. The sensation was really cool, but the flavors didn't mix as well as I'd thought they would. Maybe I'll try different flavored teas in the future, or cold juices. Or I could use hot tea instead of hot chocolate....